In the same year Hawaii sent its first president to Washington D.C. it is also celebrating its 50th year of statehood. Paired with a sagging worldwide economy, this means good news for travelers as Hawaii goes on sale.  Deep discounts are everywhere, from hotels and spas to plane fares, dining, and even outdoor adventures. 

Black Rock - A Great Place for Families to Snorkel

Maui, Oahu’s neighbor island to the southeast, has smaller crowds and a more down-home feel which have defined the island’s greater emphasis on family travel.   The island is also home to some of the best pricing Hawaii has ever seen.  Now is the time to take advantage of these bargains before rates soar. 

A Typical Upcountry Maui Rainbow. Courtesy MVB.

One of the best deals on Maui’s popular Ka’anapali coast is the Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas.  Lush and tropical, this gorgeous 26-acre oceanfront resort is the perfect blend of condo and hotel.  We love the full kitchen and laundry room while also retaining the luxury of a full-service resort such as daily maid service, swimming pools, three restaurants, internet, whirlpool tubs and private lanais.  

The Westin Maui Resort and Spa

The Westin has tons of free stuff, including double upgrades, daily buffet breakfast for two, kids 5 years old and under eat free, and a shuttle service to its sister properties in the area, as well as to Lahaina to shop or dine.   Book a studio villa and upgrade to a one-bedroom villa, good for six people.  Rates start at $330 per night with the third night free for every three nights booked.  Mention rate code SUNP3N2.  For keiki-free time, the Westin’s Kids Club has full, half-day and evening programs.  Use them judiciously as they are not inexpensive.  Full-day camp is $70, half-day is $45 and evenings are $52.

If you’re looking for an authentic Hawaiian experience, visit the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel, awarded “The Most Hawaiian Hotel” and listed on National Geographic Traveler’s annual “Stay List.”  Cultural activities geared for the whole family, including grandparents, are their specialty.  Enjoy the nightly hula show followed by dancing and Hawaiian music, string a lei, learn to play the ukulele or cut a pineapple.

Opening A Coconut, Maui Style

For kids 12 and under the “Aloha Passport” program, a self-directed South Pacific-style treasure hunt is a family program having keikis visiting different areas of the hotel to learn Hawaiian arts and crafts in exchange for keepsakes they get to take home.  Be sure and have dinner outside at Tiki Terrace, which is renowned for their seafood dishes.  I had a delectable pork chop, and the chef created a masterpiece in his lobster appetizer, which filled me up well before the main course arrived.  The real treat is listening to the regular slack-key guitar group which serenades both the bar and diners several times a week, and whose lead singer has the sweet, high sounding voice surprisingly similar to the late and beloved Brother Israel Kamakawiwo'ole.

Dining Large at the Ka'anapali Beach Hotel's Tiki Terrace Restaurant

This low-rise, relaxed resort has an aquatic playground, five pools, a beach activities center and three affordable restaurants.  In fact, everything at this resort screams family.  And at the 2009 “Mahalo” rate, rooms normally starting at $199 a night are now $159.  This 25% discount is valid for all room classes.

My top pick on Maui for families, however, is the Sheraton Maui Resort.  With fantastic family suites and a sumptuous buffet breakfast, this hotel's tiki-era decorations and spacious grounds set just the right tone.  Lacking the almost sterile feel some newer resorts are trending towards, the layout of the rooms is spectacular.  Our ohana (family) suite was on the ground floor and opened onto a massive grass yard which ran all the way down to the beach walk, joining the properties in the Ka'anapali Beach Resort to each other.   Large hammocks had settled here and there on the lawn, available for whomever grabbed one.  The mood was laid back, the room charming and practical with a queen-size Murphy bed in the living room, two doubles in the bedroom, and a massive bathroom.

The Ohana Suite at The Sheraton Maui. Courtesy Sheraton.

At the Sheraton, kids 12 and under eat breakfast free with a paying adult.  And while the breakfast buffet is spectacularly expensive at roughly $35, if you have enough kids it is a wash.  In my case, with three kids of varying ages in tow, the breakfast together was a gentle way to get the day started, organize plans for the days' activities and get kids' stomachs full before whining began.  The restaurant is indoors, thought there are no doors or windows so it has an outdoors feel.   

Breakfast Buffet at the Sheraton Maui

And then there's the pool, complete with a lazy river and reasonably-priced mini hamburgers served by a relaxed and definetely not pushy waitress.  Winding around more than the length of a football field, the lazy river was the ultimate babysitter for my seven-year old, giving the bigger kids an opportunity to explore the sea turtles that come to eat near the large rocks jutting out from the shoreline adjacent to the beach.  Aptly named Black Rock, the area is great fun for snorklers and scuba divers, as the fish life and turtles are easy to see and close to shore.  Visit www.sheraton-maui.com. 

The Lazy River Overlooking Maui's Airport Beach

For visitors staying in the Ka'anapali area, getting into Lahaina Town is but a short shuttle or car ride away.  For the uninitiated, Lahaina, tourism capital of West Maui, is the energetic, vibrant town where King Kamehameha I held court after uniting the islands into a single kingdom.  Though succeeding eras have seen many changes in political power and lifestyles, Lahaina today is an eclectic mix of traditional “grindz” eateries, high-end restaurants showcasing fine regional cuisine and upscale art galleries showcasing notable artists including Maui’s own Wyland and nationally known Peter Max.

Aloha Mixed Plate - Maui's Top Plate Lunch Spot

Among a diversity of cuisines, the luau, a traditional Hawaiian feast followed by a hula or fire dancing show is one of the islands’ premiere entertainments.  Although most resorts offer a luau in their gardens, the Old Lahaina Luau ranks among the best for its authentic dances, spectacular costumes and delicious traditional food.  According to one of the luau's co-owners,  prices haven't changed in three years. 

Demonstration of traditional Hawaiian Net Making Techniques

The three-hour luau steps guests through Hawaii’s history, through hula dancing and storytelling.  The event begins shortly before sunset with guests mingling on the lawn as young, tanned Hawaiians demonstrate cultural arts and crafts, mending fishnets, preparing taro to make a dish not unlike typical mashed potatoes and carving native woods.  After a sumptuous buffet, the sun sets over the ocean, the hula dancers come on stage and the show begins.  Did I mention the luau is well-known for not watering down its open-bar drinks?  So be careful and guzzle water.  Visit www.oldlahainaluau.com.

Old Lahaina luau Dancers Perform a Traditional Tahitian Dance at the Spectacular Old Lahaina Luau

Dozens of activities will make your vacation memorable, and all are deeply discounted.  Drive the narrow road to Hana on Maui’s East end where dense, lush forest paths open to secret waterfalls and welcome explorers to hike, swim, or picnic.  The sunrise bike ride down Haleakala Crater is a highlight.  Be sure to stop on your way down to watch the sun come up over steaming hot cappuccino.  

Bike riding down Haleakala at dawn. Courtesy MVB.

Food and garden lovers fancy the relaxed drive over Upcountry’s rolling hills to Kula where Maui’s famed lavender grows.  Visit one of the many small organic farms which grow food destined for the award-winning restaurants and chefs, or a botanical garden growing gorgeous Protea flowers which look like a million bucks even when they’re dried.

Maui’s glistening turquoise waters are one of its greatest draws, and snorkelers come from around the world to snorkel Molikini, a small half-crater with abundant reefs and amazing underwater wildlife.  Surf lessons from top surfers are available through most hotels.  The hot new trend in the islands is stand up paddle surfing or SUP, which involves standing on a long, surfboard-style fiberglass-wrapped foam board and propelling yourself through the water with a long paddle. 

Hawaii's Hot New Trend - Standup Paddleboarding, or SUP

According to some, stand up paddle surfing began in Waikiki in the 1950's as a melange, of sorts, of outrigger canoe paddling and "regular" surfing (remember, back then long boards were the standard for surfers).  Other "experts" claim the sport originated with the early Hawaiians.  In either event, it is all the rage today.  Being a long-time canoer, I was initially suspicious.  A body standing straight up in the wind creates exactly what you try to avoid as a paddler, tension.  And it looks a little silly, too, almost incongruous with the motion of the ocean and laws of physics.  Imagine my surprise after trying it for about 20 minutes.  It really is a lot of fun, and feels oddly like riding a horse eastern-style while stirring a very large bowl of cookie dough.  There is no doubt on a glassy surface it gets your heart racing.  In the surf?  A definite challenge, which is why everyone from teenie boppers to professional athletes have jumped on the bandwagon.  Classes are offered throughout the islands so check with your resort or hotel.  

Cooling Off With Some Shave Ice

And of course, who can take a trip to Hawaii without a visit to the shave ice cart?  Once my kids realized it's a higher-end version of a snow cone, they couldn't get enough.   Thankfully, it seemed to amp them up much less than an ordinary soda.

Although wrapping your brain around the idea of a vacation in our dreary economy may be difficult, there will probably never be travel deals to Hawaii like these again.  So grab the family or your BFF, and beat it out to Hawaii while the getting is good.

For more information on what to do, where to eat, and points of interest on Maui, check out the Maui Convention and Visitors’ Bureau website at www.visitmaui.com. 

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